


Three's a Crowd

by FleetingDesires



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Coitus Interruptus, Established Relationship, I was aiming for humour, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, POV all over the place I'm sorry, not narrative consistency
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 16:27:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26910619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetingDesires/pseuds/FleetingDesires
Summary: Essek and Caleb finally have a few days to themselves, but Verin unexpectedly drops in to play houseguest.Literally nothing but Verin walking in to various rooms and finding the pair in states ofdeshabille...Prompt from CRkinkmeme!
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 24
Kudos: 181





	Three's a Crowd

**Author's Note:**

> All aboard the Shadowgast train after that incinerating Talks from Mr O'Brien. Ooh boy.
> 
> \---  
> In case this wasn't clear, all dialogue in < > are spoken in Undercommon.

" _Fuck_ ," Essek groaned as Caleb rubbed his palm against his throbbing erection. He held a tighter grip on Caleb's hair and gave it a sharp tug up, giving him better access to nibble on Caleb's pulse point. Shifting forward to sit on the edge of the desk, Essek hooked his leg around the back of Caleb's thigh.

Caleb gasped as he closed his eyes, drunk on the pressure of Essek's lips, his hands fumbling at the opening of Essek's pants. "That was the idea, _ja_. Probably not on top of all our notes, though?"

Essek's lips trailed back up to meet Caleb's, snaking his tongue into his mouth and kissing him fervently for several long moments. Pulling back with a groan, he said, "Take me up to bed, _now_."

"So demanding," Caleb said with a cheeky smirk, helping Essek off the table. Grabbing his hand, he led the familiar path from Essek's study to his bedroom, the two almost tripping over each other on the stairs in their haste.

Caleb had just flopped on to the bed when Essek stiffened. "Someone's at the door," he groaned. "I'll be right back, darling." As Essek started to move away, he stopped again, the flush of lust fully draining from his face. Looking into the middle distance, he said, "Find your patience, Verin. I will be right with you."

Flicking his eyes to Caleb, he said in a horrified and mildly panicked tone, "It's my brother. I've got to– I–"

Caleb grabbed his hand, before quickly releasing it with a kiss. "Go. I'll find my way to the study. You can just tell him we've been doing some spellwork."

Essek nodded his assent, swiftly casting his levitation spell and allowing him to tidy his appearance before he reached his front door. Satisfied that all shirt buttons were in its proper hole, he ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath, slowing his heart rate.

Opening the door, he regarded the dishevelled brother on his doorstep. By his feet was a stuffed overnight bag. "Verin. How unexpected."

Essek resisted the urge to shuffle his feet even as they floated off the ground, as Verin raked his gaze over him. "Hello, brother. Am I interrupting something?"

Essek nervously raked his hand through his hair once again. "No, not at all, I was simply engrossed with some spellwork. Are you coming in?" He stepped away from the door, leaving an open invitation.

Verin stepped through. "I wouldn't say no to a shower and a drink for now, but I thought I might stay here while I'm in town. I'm working out of the Lucid Bastion for a few days. You don't mind, do you?"

"Um…of course. But why don't you take up your rooms at Den Thelyss?" He turned his back on Verin, and started to float towards the living area. Essek's brain was in overdrive and he badly needed a drink, too.

Verin snorted. "And be in the presence of our mother for three days? No, thank you. Besides, you're much nearer to the Lucid Bastion than the Den grounds." He flopped onto the couch with a groan.

"I'm glad I could oblige you an easier commute." Essek returned sarcastically, before handing Verin a drink and settling on an armchair himself.

Essek half-listened as Verin updated him on the troops in Bazzoxan, and his grumblings about all the administrative work that came with being a Taskhand. He mind wandered to Caleb secreted away in his study upstairs, mournful of the interruption to their plans and plotting a cover story.

Finally, as Verin seemed to be winding down and the drinks finished, he stood up and said, "Well, this has been nice, brother. I trust you can find your way to your rooms. I have to get back to my work now. I've recruited a partner to assist in my research and I have left him unattended for too long."

Verin, pushing off the couch, raised an eyebrow at Essek. "I thought you always worked alone."

"Yes, I usually do. But this is a large task and I find that it goes easier with two minds. He will be in the house for the next few days, as such, so you should probably come and meet him before you shoot a stranger in the hallways."

"That was _one_ time," Verin mumbled as he followed Essek. "Do I know this person?"

"Not personally, I think, but you should know _of_ him." They walked into the study, where Caleb was sitting cross-legged on the floor, already deep into their notes. As he looked up, Essek continued, "May I present Caleb Widogast, Hero to the Dynasty. Caleb, this is my brother, Verin Thelyss, Taskhand of Bazzoxan."

Essek stepped aside, discreetly looking at Verin, who was currently waging a valiant war with his face to contain his shock as Caleb, unnoticing, gently pushed Frumpkin off his lap before getting up. Extending a hand, Caleb said, "It is nice to meet you, Taskhand Thelyss."

Verin caught Essek's gaze with a keen look in his eye before turning his attention back to Caleb. Reaching out to complete the handshake, he replied, "And you as well, Mr Widogast." After a moment, he added, "Essek tells me that we will be crossing paths over the next few days as I will be staying here. I hope you won't mind the interruption."

" _Nein_ , of course not. I will primarily be in here so I'll be out of your way."

Verin nodded slowly. "Of course, I should have foreseen that. I think that I will retire now, it has been a long journey. Goodnight, Mr Widogast. Essek." With one last curious look towards Essek, he left the study. A few moments later, Essek felt the familiar magical intrusion in his mind. Verin spoke in Undercommon, < _Come see me when he leaves. We have much to discuss. > _

Essek dispelled his levitation as he rubbed at his temples with a hand. He waited for the magical message to fizzle out before he spoke again. Walking towards Caleb with an apology in his eyes, he pulled the other wizard in for a hug. "I'm sorry, Caleb. Of course, I didn't know he would be here or I wouldn't have asked you to stay here."

Caleb shrugged. "It is alright, _liebling_. Do you want me to go?"

"No, no, please stay. I'm sure we will be alright. He is here for work, after all. And I miss you too much when you're away." Essek placed a soft kiss on Caleb's cheek.

"If you're sure." Caleb drew back with a furrowed brow. "I do not wish to cause you problems with your brother."

"He will be fine. Trust me." With that, Essek drew Caleb in again, kissing him softly on the lips. Caleb's shoulders relaxed as he returned it, chased after it.

They jumped apart when Frumpkin let out a shrill _mreow!_ , a second before the study door was opened once more. Sheepishly, Verin said, "Sorry, I–" He broke off as he saw the twin flushes on their faces. "I…just had to get my bag." He left them alone once more, this time with a curious look on his face.

Essek groaned softly as he left the room, and sank on to the couch. He listed face-first into it as he received yet another magical message. < _Luxon's blessed ballsack, Essek, have you taken the human as your lover?! Reply to this message or I'll tell Mother. >_

<"I regret teaching you this spell,"> he mumbled into the cushions. He sensed Caleb settling onto the floor next to him.

_< Luxon help you when Mother finds out about this. Unless you're whoring yourself again in service of the Queen?>_

<"No. Those days are over. Will you be the one to tell her?"> He felt familiar hands stroke his hair as he tried to merge into the couch.

No response came for several moments, before he heard in his mind, < _Maybe you need her to pull you out of this insanity. Hero or not, he's still Dwendalian. >_

<"I care not. He is just…"> Essek twisted his face and looked at Caleb, backlit by the flickering orange flames from the fireplace. Caleb met his eyes with a soft gaze, understanding the arcane communications, not ceasing with his gentle touches. <"He is just Caleb to me. A man who has put his life on the line too many times so that we might have peace."> Essek gave Caleb a soft smile.

A few minutes of silence passed before Essek shifted to hold on to his arcane focus. <"Brother, it has already been a challenge. You know the life he leads, even now. Please, give us time. I will tell Mother eventually.">

 _< You will?!_,> came the immediate response. His connection fizzled out, but he felt another one coming on its heels. < _Then, I will not interfere. By the Light, Essek, I hope you know what you are doing._ >

Essek grinned, reaching up for Caleb's hand and drawing the palm to his mouth for a kiss. <"I know enough. Thank you.">

When no further messages seemed to be forthcoming, Essek took a cleansing breath, flipping over to a more comfortable position, stretching his body along the length of the couch. Caleb raised a brow as Essek patted the open space with his hand. "I infer that your brother knows?" Caleb said as he positioned himself to cuddle in.

"Yes, my brother is almost as perceptive as I am and so I am not surprised. He has agreed to keep our secret."

***

The next morning, Verin finds himself pacing outide his brother's bedroom door. _So many questions_. Gathering up his nervous energy, he taps his foot for a few more seconds before deciding he's had enough of waiting for Essek to finish his trance. _Lazy bastard only needs four hours anyway, what the hells–_

As he impatiently burst through the door, he is surprised to see movement on the bed, and immediately made eye contact with Essek. At the same time, the decidedly human, decidedly shirtless ( _naked_ , Verin's brain screamed, _definitely naked_ ) form wrapped around him startles, and Verin only has a second to dodge out of the way before a fire bolt whizzed past the side of his head and impacting on probably the hallway wall behind him.

"It is only me!" He shouts.

Caleb blinks blearily for a few seconds before he relaxes, groaning into Essek's back, and relaxing the death grip he had around his shoulders. His brain catches up to the situation about six seconds later, as evidenced by Caleb suddenly pulling the sheets up to their necks from where they had fallen.

Fixing Verin with a glare, a flushed Essek said, "Can we help you?"

"Uh, I– Uh– It will wait."

Caleb dissolved into giggles as the door slammed shut in Verin's wake, snaking a hand below the sheets to grab at Essek's waist. "I think we are safe from further interruptions now. Thankfully, the sheet did not slip any lower, _ja_." He moved his hips forward, thrusting his still-hard cock deeper into Essek.

"I do not– how are you still hard?" Essek groaned.

Caleb nuzzled into the short hairs on his neck, sending shivers down Essek's spine. "If you could feel how tightly you grip me, you would not be asking this." He stroked his hand up and down Essek's thigh, leaving goosebumps in its wake. "Now, let me get you back in the mood, hmm?"

***

Verin returned to the tower later that evening, absolutely starving. He hoped to Luxon that Essek had stocked the kitchen as he made his way towards it, his body moving on autopilot as his brain was almost all the way shut off from the dreariness of bureaucracy.

This is probably why he did not anticipate what he saw when he walked into the kitchen, or indeed, how he did not notice the sounds or the clothing cast to the floor until it was too late. _Thank fuck their pants are still on_ , he thought dimly as he struggled to get his brain back online.

As he dumbly blinked for a few moments, Essek, who was sitting on a counter with a hand buried deep in auburn curls, had his head nudged up from where he was kissing to give Caleb access to his neck. In that motion, Essek opened his eyes to meet his brother's for the second time that day while he was in the throes of lust.

"Fuck!" He exclaimed, pulling Caleb's head away from his neck.

"Well, not yet, I hope." Caleb mutely dropped his head on to Essek's shoulder as Verin strode forward. Verin continued, "I'm sorry to interrupt but it's been a long day and I need food." The last part came out muffled as Verin had already made it to the pantry and started rummaging through for whatever sustenance he was looking for.

Essek sighed. "The meats are to your right, brother. Bring it over, we'll have dinner together."

***

The last straw, for Verin, came the next day. He had returned to the tower sometime in the afternoon, his head buried in some papers for Essek to review. He gave a cursory knock on the door to Essek's study, before opening it and striding in. <"Essek, the Dusk Captain requires you to– Oh for the bleeding love of the Luxon and all that is Light, really!> He interjected as when he lifted his eyes from the paper, he found Caleb bent in half over Essek's desk, and the blasted drow himself, shirt undone, behind him, flushed from the tips of his ears, to his sternum, to– _NOPE–_ and _his hand around Caleb's neck_ in a grip that could not be– _nope nope NOPE._

Verin whirled around to present his back to the pair, barely registering their shocked gazes. He gritted out, " _Shadowhand_ Thelyss, your attention is required on some paperwork. I will leave them on this chair here as I never wish to return to this room. Kindly Send to me when you are ready."

With that, he strode quickly out of the room, pulling the door firmly shut behind him. He took the stairs two at a time to reach his bedroom, where he quickly packed his belongings back in his bag. Shuddering at the thought of what a Message would interrupt, he quickly scribbled down a note and left it on the bed.

Essek nearly doubled over in laughter when he found it later that night, after wondering about Verin's conspicuous absence. After all, he was supposed to stay one more night. The note read:

_Essek,_

_I will be_ _elsewhere_ _tonight. I wish for you to learn two spells for me: Modify Memory, and Arcane Lock._

_Please._

_V_

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think!


End file.
